Baler feeding system

ABSTRACT

A feeding mechanism for pickup baler in which a rotary feed unit delivers crop material to a set of packer fingers which convey the material into the bale chamber between plunger strokes. The rotary feed unit is mounted for operation about a generally vertical axis and comprises two sets of feed fingers which successively sweep crop material across the feeder platform and into the path of the packer fingers. The angular position of the feed fingers is controlled by a circular cam track.

O Umted States Patent 1 13,570,395

72] Inventors llarry C- Eberly 2,975,581 3/1961 Matthies 56/341 Narvon;2,545,188 3/ 1951 Baskerville 100/142 R y Flsher, New Holland, 2,720,07310/1955 Freeman, Jr. et al. 100/1 89X [2 1 wag- 2 1967 3,103,775 9/1963Evans et al 56/341 [22 i e ug. 4s Patented Mar. 16,1971 252 735 FOREIQNPATENTS [73] Assignee Sperry Rand Corporation 3/1967 Ausma New Holland,Pa. Primary Examiner-Peter F eldman AttorneysJoseph A. Brown and DonaldD. Schaper [5 4] BALER FEEDING SYSTEM I 13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

52 us. or 100/189,

56/341 198/209 ABSTRACT: A feeding mechanism for pickup baler in which[51] Int. Cl B30!) l/00 a rotary feed unit delivers crop material to aset f packer fi [50] Fleld of Search 100/189, gers which convey thematerial into the bale chamber between 142; 56/341 342; 198/209 222plunger strokes. The rotary feed unit is mounted for operation about agenerally vertical axis and comprises two sets of feed [56] ReferencesCited fingers which successively sweep crop material across the UNITEDSTATES PATENTS feeder platform and into the path of the packer fingers.The 2,920,752 /l 50 Heinlein 8t 81 100/189X angular position of the feedfingers is controlled by a circular 2,950,807 8/ 1960 McDuffie 100/142Xam track,

Patented March 16, '1971 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS HARRY C. EBERLY 8RAYMOND E. FISHER BY M W ATTORNEY Patented March 16, 1971 4 Sheets-Sheetz ATTORNEY Patented March 16, 1971 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS HARRY c.EBERLY a RAYMOND E.FISHER BY M A. W

ATTORN E Y BALER FEEDHIG SYSTEM BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION A typicalpickup baler comprises a wheel-supported frame which carries afore-and-aft extending bale chamber and a plunger reciprocably mountedtherein for compressing crop material into bales. A feeder housingextends from one side of the bale chamber, and crop material isdelivered to a floor, or platform, in the housing by a rotatable pickuplocated forwardly of the feeder housing. A feeding mechanism operable inthe housing is adapted to move crop material across the platform anddeliver it into the bale chamber.

In some types of balers, the feeding mechanism comprises an auger, orother continuous feed means, for conveying the material across thefeeder platform and into the bale chamber. Since an auger, or conveyorof this type, is fixed against shifting longitudinally in the directionof feeding, the delivery end of the conveyor must necessarily terminateoutside the bale chamber, with the result that material is not conveyedas far into the bale chamber as is desirable. When the material is noteffectively distributed in the bale chamber, uneven and poorly shapedbales are produced by the baler.

Finger feeding mechanisms have been developed in which the fingersthemselves penetrate into the bale chamber through slots in the top wallof the chamber. An improved distribution of the crop material in thebale chamber is obtained by the use of the feed fingers. However, sincethese fingers cross the path of the reciprocating plunger, the fingersand the plunger must be timed so that the plunger does not strike thefingers, Two types of finger mounting means are used exten' sively. Inone type of mounting means, the fingers are carried on a reciprocatingcarriage; in a second type, the fingers are mounted on rotating crankswhich cause the fingers to move through an orbital path. A disadvantageof the carriage mounted fingers is the wear problems which occur becauseof the reciprocating movement and the'rapid acceleration and edeceleration of the carriage.

It is common to employ a set of orbiting feed fingers adjacent the balechamber for delivering the material into the base case. A secondconveying means, e.g., another set of orbiting feed fingers, or ananger, is mounted over the outboard side of the feeder platform formoving the material across the platform and into the path of the fingersoperating adjacent the bale chamber. These types of feeding mechanismsnormally work well in medium capacity balers having plunger speeds of 80strokes per minute, or less. However, they have not been generallysatisfactory in high capacity balers operating at plunger speedsapproaching 100 strokes per minute. One main problem has been in movingthe material across the feeder platform at sufficient speed and indelivering it to the fingers adjacent the bale chamber in a desiredform. If the material delivered to the fingers is matted and highlycompressed, it is difficult for the fingers to penetrate the materialand move it into the bale chamber.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The feeding mechanism of this inventioncomprises a pair of feed units. A first feed unit operates adjacent thebale chamber and comprises an orbiting set of packer fingers. The packerfingers operate over a small area of the platform in the feeder housing,and run at the same speed as the baler plunger.

A second feed unit is mounted forwardly of, and outboard of, the packerfingers. The second unit is a rotary unit and includes two diametricallyopposed sets of feed fingers. A caming mechanism regulates the angularposition of each set of fingers so that when the fingers pass over theplatform they are in a generally vertical position and as the fingersmove away from the platform and over the rotatable pickup they are movedto a generally horizontal position. The speed of the totary feed unit isone-half the speed of theplunger.

The fingers of the rotary feed unit enter the crop material at theoutboard side of the platform when the material is still oriented insubstantially the same manner as it was in the windrow. The fingerssweep the material across the platform in this form and deliver it tothe packer fingers. As the feed fingers pass adjacent to the packerfingers, they are cammed upwardly to lift them out of the crop material,the packer fingers immediately enter the material in the area occupiedby the feeder fingers, and thus, they do not have to penetrate acompressed mass of crop material. The relatively slow speed at which therotary feed unit operates, due to the two sets of feed fingers, permitsan even continuous flow of the crop material toward the bale chamber.The windrow of material, lifted to the feeder platform by the pickup, isconveyed across the platform by the feed fingers, without a substantialchange in the orientation of the crop material.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a feeding mechanismfor a baler of the type described which can be efficiently operated withhigh speed plungers.

Another object of this invention is to provide a finger feedingmechanism in which the material is conveyed across the platform in aneven continuous movement.

Another object of this invention is to provide a feeding mechanism whichcan be operated on crop material as it comes from the windrow, andwithout the precompressing thereof by the pickup.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent hereinafter from thespecification and from the recital in the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a pickup baler, a portion of thefeeder housing being shown in section to expose the feeding mechanism ofthis invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1, with the feeder housing shown insection.

FIG. 3 is a somewhat enlarged section, taken approximately as indicatedby the irregular line 3-3 in FIG. 2, and showing the path of travel ofthe packer fingers.

FIG. 4 is a developed view of the cam track employed in the rotary feedunit.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of the rotary feed unit, illustratingthe relative positions of the packer fingers and the feed fingers whenthe feed fingers are timed to deliver the crop material just in front ofthe packer fingers.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but showing the relative positionsof the packer fingers and feed lingers in a different timing arrangementin which the feed fingers are timed to unload their charge of materialwhile the packer fingers are relatively high above the platform.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings bynumerals of reference and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the balerselected to illustrate this invention is designated 10. Baler 10comprises a baler chamber 12 which extends in a fore-and-aft direction,a feeding mechanism 14 which is adapted to convey crop material into thebale chamber, and a rotatable pickup 16 which lifts the crop materialfrom the ground and delivers it to the feeding mechanism. A plunger 17indicated diagrammatically in FIGS. l-2 and 5-6, is mounted forreciprocable movement in bale chamber 12. Baler T0 is mounted on wheels18 for movement through a field, and a tongue 19, shown fragmentarily inFIGS. I. and 2, is adapted to be connected to a tractor, not shown. Adrive system 20 furnishes power to the baler components and is in turndriven by the tractor power takeoff not shown.

Rotatable pickup 16, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises a plurality ofrows of circumferentially spaced pickup 30 which engage the cropmaterial on the ground and move it upwardly and rearwardly to thefeeding mechanism. Fingers 3b are separated by laterally spaced strippermembers 32.

A feeder housing 34 extends over rotatable pickup in and the feedingmechanism 14, and comprises a roof section 36, a vertically extendingrear wall 37, a platform, or floor portion, 3%, and an outboard sidewall39. A horizontal plate 41 and a circular wall portion 43 in the rearsection of the feeder housing serve to confine the material it is beingconveyed toward the bale case.

Feeding mechanism 14 comprises a rotary feed unit 40 which moves thecrop material from the outboard side of the baler inwardly toward thebale chamber. Feed unit 40 delivers the material to an orbiting feedunit 42 which conveys the material into the bale chamber.

Rotary feed unit 40 is carried on a transversely extending supportmember 44 which is fixed at one end to a vertical wall 45 on top wall 46of the bale chamber and at its opposite end to sidewall 39 of the feederhousing. A vertically extending shaft 50 is journaled in support member44 and carries a bevel gear 51 at its upper end and a feed fingercarrier 52 on its lower end. Carrier 52 consists of a heavy frame member53 and a circular plate 54 fixed to member 53 and adapted to preventcrop material from getting into the feed unit drive mechanism. At eachend of frame member 53, a support element 55 is mounted which carries arockshaft 58. A plurality of feed fingers 60 are fixed to each rockshaft58, and the angular position of fingers 60 is regulated through a crankarm 62 fixed at one end to rockshaft 58. A roller 64 is mounted to theopposite end of crank arm 62, and the roller is adapted to run in camtrack 66 which is carried on a cylindrical member 68 fixed to supportmember 44.

The angular position of feed fingers 60 is positively controlled by camtrack 66. A developed view of the cam track is shown in FIG. 4. Feedfingers 60 assume a substantially vertical position when the rollers arein the lower portion 67 of the cam track (see FIGS. 3 and 4). As therollers move into the upper portion 69 of the cam track, the feedfingers are pivoted in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG.3. With reference to FIGS. 2, -6, it will be noted that fingers 60 aremounted at an angle, in the radial direction, to member 53. With thefeed fingers so mounted, the feed fingers extend generally in the samedirection as the packer fingers when they release the material to thepacker fingers (see FIG. 5). Further, this angular mounting permits thefeed fingers to be housed in a smaller area than would be possible ifthey extended radially from member 53.

Feed unit 42, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, comprises a pair of crankshafts 70 and 71 journaled respectively in a vertical wall 73 andgearbox 74. A crank 76 is mounted on each of the shafts 70 and 71 and acrank pin 77 joins the outer radial ends of the crank 76. Upwardlyextending arms 80 are fixed to a hub 81 pivotally mounted on crank pin77. Packer fingers 82 are fixed to hub 81 and extend generally oppositearms 80. A control link 86 is pinned at 87 to arms 80 and at 89 to avertical support 90 on bale chamber 12. A spring element 92 permitslimited extension of the control link 86. The path of travel of thepacker fingers is indicated by a series of packer finger end portions82a, shown in dot and dash lines in FIG. 3. The packer fingers 82, infeeding the material into the bale chamber, pass through slots 92 in topwall 46 of the bale chamber.

Feeding mechanism 14 is driven by a drive system 20 which comprises abaler flywheel 100 operatively connected to the tractor power takeoff,not shown. A connecting shaft 101 extends rearwardly of flywheel 100 toa gearbox 102 mounted in sidewall 103 of the bale case. A longitudinallyextending main drive shaft 105 is carried on top wall 46 of the balechamber and is connected to shaft 101 through a chain and sprocket drive108.

Shaft 105 is journaled at its rear end in a vertical wall 45 and carriesa sprocket 112 rearwardly of the wall 45. A chain 114 connects sprocket112 to a sprocket 116 carried on shaft 71. Shaft 71 furnishes power togearbox 74 through a bevel gear 118. Bevel gear 118 meshes with a secondbevel gear 126 carried on a cross shaft 112. Cross shaft 122 drivesrotary feed unit 49 through a bevelgear 124 which meshes with gear 51.At its outboard end, shaft 122 furnishes power to pickup 16 through achain drive 126. The timing of the feed fingers relative to the packerfingers can be controlled by disconnecting gear 124 and rotating thefeed fingers to the desired position. The preferred arrangement is shownin FIG. 5, and in this arrangement, the feed fingers 60 deliver materialjust in front of the packer fingers 82, and the packer fingers move intothe crop material in substantially the same area occupied by the feedfingers. A second timing arrangement is shown in FIG. 6, and in thisarrangement, the charge of crop material is released on the platform bythe feed fingers while the packer fingers are in an elevated position.The packer fingers are then moved rapidly in behind the delivered chargebefore it expands out of the delivered position.

In the operation of the described machine, crop material is deliveredonto platform 38 by the rotatable pickup 16. A set of fingers 60 engagesthe material at the outboard side of the baler and moves the materialacross the platform 38 toward the bale chamber and into the path ofpacker fingers 82. The packer fingers then deliver material into thebale chamber. In the preferred embodiment, shown in FIG. 5, the feedfingers deliver the crop material just in front of the descending packerfingers. Just as the packer fingers move down into contact with thecharge of crop material, the feed fingers are pivoted away from thepacker fingers; as the feed fingers rotate toward the pickup, they arepivoted upwardly to a generally horizontal position. The fingers remainin a generally horizontal position as they move across the pickup andare again pivoted downwardly just before reaching platform 38 to pick upa new charge of material. Because of the two sets of feed fingers, thefeed fingers are rotated at one-half the speed of the packer fingers andthe plunger.

When rotary feed unit 40 first contacts the material at the outboardside of the feeder platform, the feed unit is travelling in generallythe same direction as the material. As the feed unit 40 continues onaround, it serves to turn the material toward the bale case. Therelatively slow moving feed unit 40 thus exerts an even, continuousaction on the material. The material is swept toward the bale case,without churning the material, and without changing the orientation ofthe material as it occurred in the windrow. There is no necessity forthe pickup to serves as a precompressing means in this type of feedingmechanism.

It has been found that material, as it moves across the platform, tendsto fold around the feed fingers 60 to form a slightly U-shaped charge.The packer fingers deliver the charge into the bale case in this form.Each of the U-shaped charges becomes a slice in the finished bale. Thebales thus formed are easy to use when reopened and are very desirabledue to their uniformity.

While this invention has been described in connection with a particularembodiment thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of furthermodification and this application is intended to cover any variations,uses or adaptations of the invention, following, in general, theprinciples of the invention, and including such departures from thepresent disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the artto which the invention pertains, and as fall within the scope of theinvention as the limits of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a crop handling machine having a platform along which cropmaterial is moved to a crop receiving means, the improvement comprising:a feed unit adapted to move crop material along said platform and towardsaid crop receiving means, said feed unit comprising support meansspaced upwardly from the level of said platform, carrier means rotatablymounted on said support means for continuous orbital movement about agenerally vertical axis, finger means on said carrier means, said fingermeans being adapted to assume a generally vertical position as it movestoward said crop receiving means to move crop material along saidplatform and a generally horizontal position as it moves away from saidcrop receiving mean, and, means for controlling the angular position ofsaid finger means.

2. In a crop handling machine, as recited in claim ll, wherein a secondfeed unit is provided located adjacent said crop receiving means andbetween said first feed unit and said crop receiving means, said firstfeed unit delivers crop material to said second feed unit and saidsecond feed unit delivers crop material into said crop receiving meanswith the path of movement of said first feed unit crossing to the rearof said second feed unit.

3. In a crop handling machine, as recited in claim 1, wherein saidfinger means comprises a pair of feed finger assemblies pivotallymounted on said carrier means, said finger assemblies are locatedsubstantially 180 apart, and said means for controlling the angularposition of said finger means comprises a cam track fixed to saidsupport means.

4. A baler comprising in combination a fore-and-aft extending balechamber with a feed opening in a vertical sidewall thereof, a generallyhorizontal material receiving platform extending laterally from adjacentthe lower end of said opening, a first feed unit operable over saidplatform for conveying material through said opening and into said balecase, a second feed unit operable to supply material into the path ofsaid first feed unit, said second feed unit comprising finger meansadapted to extend generally vertically relative to said platform, saidfinger means being mounted for orbital rotation about a generallyvertical axis, and cam means for controlling the attitude of said fingermeans.

5. A baler, as recited in claim 4, wherein said first feed unitcomprises a packer finger assembly adapted to orbit about an axisextending generally parallel to said bale chamber.

6. A baler, as recited in claim 5, wherein said finger means comprises apair of feed finger assemblies oppositely disposed on a rotatablecarrier.

7. A hay baler, as recited in claim 4, wherein drive means is providedto rotate said first and second feed units and said drive means operatessaid second unit at one-half the speed of said first unit.

8. A baler comprising a fore-and-aft extending bale chamber having a topwall and a vertical sidewall with a feed opening therein, a generallyhorizontal crop material receiving platform extending laterally fromadjacent the lower end of said opening, and a feed unit adapted to movecrop material along said platform and toward said feed opening, saidfeed unit including carrier means supported above said platform forcontinuous rotational movement in one direction about a generallyvertically extending axis, and finger means counted on said carriermeans for swinging movement about a generally horizontally extendingaxis.

9. A baler, as recited in claim 8, wherein said finger means include apair of feed finger assemblies pivotally mounted on said carrier means,said assemblies being generally diametrically opposed to each other,said baler further including cam means for controlling the angularposition of said finger assemblies.

10. An automatic hay baler, as recited in claim 9, wherein each of saidfeed finger assemblies includes a shaft journaled adjacent the outerperiphery of said'carrier means, a plurality of fingers and fixed tosaid shaft, and follower means fixed to one end of said shaft, said cammeans comprises a circular cam track, the parts being so arranged andconstructed so that said follower means rides in said track to pivotsaid shaft and the fingers carried thereon.

11. In a baler having:

a bale case having sidewall and a bale chamber with a plungerreciprocably mounted therein for compressing crop material into balesand having an opening in one of said sidewalls for delivery of cropmaterial to said bale chamber;

a feed housing extending transversely from said sidewall with saidopening and having a platform and feed chamber forming a transverselyextending side thereabove for receiving crop material through saidopening in said sidewall, and packer fork means mounted adjacent saidsidewall to sweep downwardly and towards said bale case and through saidopening for conveying crop material into said bale chamber; a feedermeans on the opposite side of said packer fork means from said bale caseand rotatably mounted above said feed chamber to orbit in one directionabout a vertical axis and;having feeder fingers extending verticallydownward into said chamber to sweep crop material towards said bale caseand passing through the downward path of said packer fork means todeposit crop material in the path of said packer fork means for sweepingthe deposited crop material through said opening into said bale chamberfor compression into a bale.

12. A baler as set forth in claim 11, wherein said feeder means hasmeans for pivoting said feeder fingers generally horizontally in adirection counter to the orbital rotation, said feeder fingers pivotinghorizontally at the downward path of said packer fork means to depositthe crop material for engagement by said packer fork means.

13. In a baler having:

bale case having a vertical sidewall with an opening for passing acharge of crop material in said bale case and a feed housing extendingtransversely from said sidewall and having a feed chamber thecombination therewith of; and

crop material feeding means comprising a carrier rotatably mounted onsaid housing (and with) to continuously orbit in one direction about avertical axis, said carrier having pivotally mounted feeder fingers(movable between) and control means activating said feeder fingers to arecessed counter rotational position for (clearing) passing over cropmaterial and an extended position for sweeping a charge of crop materialinto and along said feed chamber towards said bale case and a dynamicpacker support with packer fingers moved by said support in a generallyvertical path downwardly into said feed chamber immediately in front ofsaid extended feeder fingers (as), said control means having means totime the movement of said feeder fingers (move) counter to carrierrotation from the charge sweeping extended position to a noncontactingcrop material recessed position (whereby) as said packer fingers (enter)contact the charge of crop material (area) previously (occupied)contacted by said feeder fingers and continue the sweep of the charge ofcrop material into said bale case as said feeder fingers move toward therecessed position clear of said packer fingers.

1. In a crop handling machine having a platform along which cropmaterial is moved to a crop receiving means, the improvement comprising:a feed unit adapted to move crop material along said platform and towardsaid crop receiving means, said feed unit comprising support meansspaced upwardly from the level of said platform, carrier means rotatablymounted on said support means for continuous orbital movement about agenerally vertical axis, finger means on said carrier means, said fingermeans being adapted to assume a generally vertical position as it movestoward said crop receiving means to move crop material along saidplatform and a generally horizontal position as it moves away from saidcrop receiving mean, and, means for controlling the angular position ofsaid finger means.
 2. In a crop handling machine, as recited in claim 1,wherein a second feed unit is provided located adjacent said cropreceiving means and between said first feed unit and said crop receivingmeans, said first feed unit delivers crop material to said second feedunit and said second feed unit delivers crop material into said cropreceiving means with the path of movement of said first feed unitcrossing to the rear of said second feed unit.
 3. In a crop handlingmachine, as recited in claim 1, wherein said finger means comprises apair of feed finger assemblies pivotally mounted on said carrier means,said finger assemblies are located substantially 180* apart, and saidmeans for controlling the angular position of said finger meanscomprises a cam track fixed to said support means.
 4. A baler comprisingin combination a fore-and-aft extending bale chamber with a feed openingin a vertical sidewall thereof, a generally horizontal materialreceiving platform extending laterally from adjacent the lower end ofsaid opening, a first feed unit operable over said platform forconveying material through said opening and into said bale case, asecond feed unit operable to supply material into the path of said firstfeed unit, said second feed unit comprising finger means adapted toextend generally vertically relative to said platform, said finger meansbeing mounted for orbital rotation about a generally vertical axis, andcam means for controlling the attitude of said finger means.
 5. A baler,as recited in claim 4, wherein said first feed unit comprises a packerfinger assembly adapted to orbit about an axis extending generallyparallel to said bale chamber.
 6. A baler, as recited in claim 5,wherein said finger means comprises a pair of feed finger assembliesoppositely disposed on a rotatable carrier.
 7. A hay baler, as recitedin claim 4, wherein drive means is provided to rotate said first andsecond feed units and said drive means operates said second unit atone-half the speed of said first unit.
 8. A baler comprising afore-and-aft extending bale chamber having a top wall and a verticalsidewall with a feed opening therein, a generally horizontal cropmaterial receiving platform extending laterally from adjacent the lowerend of said opening, and a feed unit adapted to move crop material Alongsaid platform and toward said feed opening, said feed unit includingcarrier means supported above said platform for continuous rotationalmovement in one direction about a generally vertically extending axis,and finger means counted on said carrier means for swinging movementabout a generally horizontally extending axis.
 9. A baler, as recited inclaim 8, wherein said finger means include a pair of feed fingerassemblies pivotally mounted on said carrier means, said assembliesbeing generally diametrically opposed to each other, said baler furtherincluding cam means for controlling the angular position of said fingerassemblies.
 10. An automatic hay baler, as recited in claim 9, whereineach of said feed finger assemblies includes a shaft journaled adjacentthe outer periphery of said carrier means, a plurality of fingers andfixed to said shaft, and follower means fixed to one end of said shaft,said cam means comprises a circular cam track, the parts being soarranged and constructed so that said follower means rides in said trackto pivot said shaft and the fingers carried thereon.
 11. In a balerhaving: a bale case having sidewall and a bale chamber with a plungerreciprocably mounted therein for compressing crop material into balesand having an opening in one of said sidewalls for delivery of cropmaterial to said bale chamber; a feed housing extending transverselyfrom said sidewall with said opening and having a platform and feedchamber forming a transversely extending side thereabove for receivingcrop material through said opening in said sidewall, and packer forkmeans mounted adjacent said sidewall to sweep downwardly and towardssaid bale case and through said opening for conveying crop material intosaid bale chamber; a feeder means on the opposite side of said packerfork means from said bale case and rotatably mounted above said feedchamber to orbit in one direction about a vertical axis and havingfeeder fingers extending vertically downward into said chamber to sweepcrop material towards said bale case and passing through the downwardpath of said packer fork means to deposit crop material in the path ofsaid packer fork means for sweeping the deposited crop material throughsaid opening into said bale chamber for compression into a bale.
 12. Abaler as set forth in claim 11, wherein said feeder means has means forpivoting said feeder fingers generally horizontally in a directioncounter to the orbital rotation, said feeder fingers pivotinghorizontally at the downward path of said packer fork means to depositthe crop material for engagement by said packer fork means.
 13. In abaler having: bale case having a vertical sidewall with an opening forpassing a charge of crop material in said bale case and a feed housingextending transversely from said sidewall and having a feed chamber thecombination therewith of; and crop material feeding means comprising acarrier rotatably mounted on said housing (and with) to continuouslyorbit in one direction about a vertical axis, said carrier havingpivotally mounted feeder fingers (movable between) and control meansactivating said feeder fingers to a recessed counter rotational positionfor (clearing) passing over crop material and an extended position forsweeping a charge of crop material into and along said feed chambertowards said bale case and a dynamic packer support with packer fingersmoved by said support in a generally vertical path downwardly into saidfeed chamber immediately in front of said extended feeder fingers (as),said control means having means to time the movement of said feederfingers (move) counter to carrier rotation from the charge sweepingextended position to a noncontacting crop material recessed position(whereby) as said packer fingers (enter) contact the charge of cropmaterial (area) previously (occupied) contacted by said feeder fingersand continue the sweep of the charge of crop material into said balecasE as said feeder fingers move toward the recessed position clear ofsaid packer fingers.